Senior Jake Laswell rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns, and picked off a pass, as Republic manhandled Marshfield 37-7. Senior Jacie Austin also rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers, who celebrated Senior Night with a win to open district play.
Republic’s starting defense also held Marshfield to less than 150 total yards, before a late Blue Jay drive against the JV defense.
Laswell’s big night started on Marshfield’s opening possession, when he intercepted a pass and returned it to the 3-yard line. On the next play, he took a handoff from Nick Williams and pounded through the Marshfield line into the end zone. The Tigers missed the extra point and the lead was 6-0.
On the Tigers’ next possession, Laswell broke a 40-yard run to set up his second touchdown–a 1-yard plunge with 6:31 left in the 1st quarter. Republic’s 2-point conversion made it 14-0.
Republic scored again early in the 2nd quarter on a 6-yard run by Laswell. They led 21-0 with 10:48 to go in the half.
After punting for the first time on their next possession, they got the ball back and scored again. The Tigers went 81 yards and scored on an 18-yard run by Nick Williams with 3:04 left in the half. After another 2-point conversion, it was 29-0.
On the first play from scrimmage in the 2nd half, Jacie Austin went 57 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. He also scored a 2-point conversion, and that made the lead 37-0 with 11:39 left in 3rd quarter.
Marshfield scored a late touchdown against the JV defense to account for the final score of 37-7.
The Tigers will be on the road next week at West Plains. Hillcrest blew out the Zizzers 49-0 in the district opener for those two teams.
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